International LLM Degree

International LLM FAQs

When does the Program begin?

Students may begin the LLM Program for International Lawyers in late August (fall semester) or late January (spring semester). Loyola accepts applications on a rolling basis, which means that there is no strict deadline. However, students who apply early increase their chances of being admitted. Loyola’s International LLM program is deliberately small (10-20 students) to allow our international staff to provide you with individualized academic and career counseling throughout the course of your study and beyond. We recommend completing the application at least 3 months before the start of the program if you need to obtain a visa.

What is the cost of the Program?

Tuition for the 2014-2015 academic year is $33,840 (for the minimum of 24 credit hours). Tuition is based on credit hours and students are required to take 24 credit hours to graduate. The current cost per credit hour is $1,410. This does not include living expenses and fees.

Does the school provide financial help?

Loyola Chicago offers a general merit-based scholarship program for its LLM Program for International Lawyers. The program is designed to provide exceptionally qualified students with a tuition-reduction scholarship. The scholarship will cover only a fraction of the tuition, but not living or other expenses. If you are interested in applying for a scholarship, please indicate so in your personal statement.

Law classes take place in the heart of Chicago at the Philip H. Corboy Loyola Law Center, 25 E. Pearson St., on Loyola's Water Tower Campus. The Water Tower Campus is just steps away from North Michigan Avenue, Chicago's Magnificent Mile. The Law Center features classrooms and lecture halls equipped with the latest technology, facilities for legal clinics and a courtroom for practice.

How do I apply?

The International LLM application is available online. Required application materials include current curriculum vitae or resume, personal statement, two letters of recommendation, academic transcript, and language test scores (if applicable). There is no application fee for applicants who submit their application online.

Yes. At this point we ask applicants to submit Loyola’s free online application and email your LSAC account number to iblanke1@luc.edu. Loyola will then request your LSAC documents directly when you send us your LSAC account number.

Who must submit Language Test scores?

Most international applicants are required to submit a current official score from a Test of English as a Foreign Language Exam (TOEFL) or International English Testing System (IELTS). Only native speakers of English or applicants whose university education primarily was conducted in English may be exempt.

What do I need to do to request a language test waiver?

If you find that you would qualify for an exemption, please submit a statement detailing your language background. Individual language assessments conducted in person or by telephone may be required at the Law School's discretion.

The decision about the waiver request is made by the admissions committee.

Waivers are granted in exceptional circumstances. Generally your application will be stronger if supported by a good language test score.

Will I be eligible to sit for a bar exam?

The LL.M. degree alone does not qualify foreign lawyers to practice law in the United States. Each of the 50 states has its own criteria and procedures for admitting lawyers to practice, and requirements vary. Lawyers from abroad seeking information on these requirements should contact the bar examiners in the state in which they wish to practice. It is your obligation to write to the Board of Law Examiners to determine your eligibility to sit for the bar exam. We recommend that you contact the Board before you begin your LLM to make sure that your first law degree qualifies. Only the Board can make that determination, and it is best to send your request early. It is also your responsibility to make sure you meet all deadlines for applying to take the bar exam and to make sure you have all of the required materials to submit to the Board. For further information, please consult the following websites:

Please review the information provided under Program Information. The curriculum of Track I is based on the current New York Bar Exam eligibility requirements. However, those requirements might change in the near future.

How Do I Prepare for the Bar Exam?

We recommend that students take a bar preparation course. Taking a bar preparation course is a critical step in passing the bar. Commercial bar preparation courses specialize in helping you review subjects you have already taken in law school and to learn bar subjects you may not have taken. Since bar preparation occurs after graduation, this is not an expense included in tuition.

If you have additional questions please contact the Office for International and Foreign LLM Programs for additional information at intl-llm-admissions@luc.edu or 312-915-7091.